MT's thoughts on all kinds of stuff.


Tuesday 13 March 2012

Idiocy, Projection, and Godwin's Law - or Why The Internet Is A Crazy Place.

I started a thread on FL a few days ago. The reason I started this thread went something like this;
“Poor Piece has started the last few threads while I’ve been battling all this Life shit, I should pull my weight and start a thread to help out.
Hmmm, what to write about though? I’m really tired and don’t have a lot of energy to dedicate to FL at present. Oh, I was pondering how radically differently the best way to address different people is the other day, that might work! How to word that though? If I just write “What is the communication style in your relationship when it’s an urgent matter?” then the vast majority of people will write fairly meaningless things like ‘We always communicate with honour, integrity and love at all times as they are the cornerstones of our relationship”. Ok, so what I want to look at is how different approaches are best for different people in different situations. I know, I’ll try to remember the gist of when I had to direct N in that very firm way the other day and type something akin to that. That will give them something tangible to work with. Now, should I type a contrasting equivalent for how I’d direct S (a more sensitive person) in a similar moment of crisis? Nah, they’re smart, they'll work it out….”
I start a vast number of threads there, and most of them I do for the benefit of the group, not my own. Sometimes it’s a bit of a drag to be honest – we don’t want the group to become the sort of clichéd inane group overrun wit threads like ‘Where do you sleep?/  Do slaves have birthdays/ How often do you wear your collar?’ and that requires people to extend themselves to make an effort to write about more diverse and personal things.
So, I started a thread. 'Ho hum, business as usual' I thought. The judgmental projection and outright fantasy that’s taken place regarding the thread in question in other groups, in my inbox, and to a lesser degree in the group itself is therefore really pretty bizarre in my opinion. I'd go as far as crazed actually.
I mean, surely, anyone who looks should be able to see I intentionally elected a strongly worded example, and would deduce that there would be a reason for this?
The thread also asked how respondents would feel, not for commentary on my relationship - a fact some people missed entirely though I suspect in some cases I suspect that was to get their swagger on.
You see, I stated repeatedly that the recipient of the paraphrased dialogue above found it to be pitched pretty well for him in that situation.  And therein lies my key point. I’d have thought it may be reasonably assumed that as we have a successful O/p relationship that is far from new, that perhaps I know how to best address specific issues to my specific slave in highly specific circumstances. But apparently not.
Now the irony of this kind of overreaction occurring on a board like FL is pretty strong. Remember this is a place where people often relay relationships where they are called things like ‘a worthless fucking cunt’ or ‘a stupid whore’, where members have usernames like ‘dumbcunt’ or whatever and no one bats an eyelid. Why? Well, I have always presumed because they understand that we all relate in different ways, tailored to suit our relationships.
People saying they would be upset is fine, good even. That’s what the thread asked after all. People making up imaginary backstories and accusing me of all kinds of stuff that simply is not there is obnoxious (as well as suggesting extremely lacklustre comprehension skills). Think I’m exaggerating? Here are a few on board highlights from a few hours from just one poster. Please note the wealth of imaginary details added to the situation:
  • That I ‘backhanded’ N and references to ‘slapping’
  • My actions show I ‘have no reasoning or social skills’
  • That it was ‘delivered in an angry and threatening tone’
  • That I ‘threw a tantrum and blamed N for my pissy ass mood, when he was not at fault’
  • I was ‘chest thumping and domineering’
  • I ‘kicked the shit out of N verbally for something that he didn't do in an intentionally angry and bullying fashion’.
  • ‘There was no definitely no fault of N’s at work’ this was repeated so many times I lost count. Where does it say that though please?
  • I am a ‘blowhard’, ‘arrogant asshole’ ‘dick’ and ‘childish’
  • My favourite though was probably the likening of the incident to stabbing someone in the eye! Seriously: '"I warning you I am going to stab you in the eye if you blink at me", that person blinks and I stab them in the eye'.   (The best I can say is that it at least varies Godwin's Law and give it points for originality).
And remember that is just one single poster, who incidentally didn’t clarify any of his points or at any time even try speak to me directly, instead choosing to spam his fantasy elsewhere, maybe to boost his own ego or something. One poster who knows far better than the recipient or the speaker how to handle a very specific and pressured situation he had no knowledge of. Priceless. (Oh, and of course I am not a true Master. Snort).

FL wearies me.

3 comments:

The Velveteen Hoodrat said...

Wave your dickishness at me, please?

kaya said...

FL wearies us all at different times. But we need you so you're screwed. ~beams~

MsSparkles said...

Grumbles ;)